Scholarships awarded to five undergraduate students
MANHATTAN, Kan. – With an eye toward their future in industry, ranching, academia or other pursuits, undergraduate students showed off their work at the Kansas State University Animal Sciences and Industry Undergraduate Research Symposium on Dec. 12.
The symposium, hosted at Weber Hall on the K-State campus, highlighted research conducted by undergraduate students during the fall 2017 semester. The students presented posters illustrating their work.
This year’s symposium and the Undergraduate Research Awards distributed during the event were sponsored by the Dr. Mark and Kim Young Undergraduate Research Fund in Animal Sciences and Industry.
Five students were awarded $1,000 scholarships based on their scientific abstract, poster and presentation of data. The scholarship winners were: Gage Nichols, Russell, Kansas; Madison Smith, Hutchinson, Kansas; Alexis Pedro, Richmond, Kansas; and Katelyn Thomson, Riley, Kansas. Carrie Cromer, Churchville, Virginia, was awarded the People’s Choice award voted on by students, faculty, and stakeholders who attended the symposium.
Undergraduate research provides an opportunity to perform in-depth study, gain transferable skills, develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, define academic and professional interests, and form relationships with mentors, professors, and other students. The program gives students the opportunity to work with ASI faculty and graduate student mentors on a project that is rewarding and helps them prepare for their next goals.
Research projects help students understand the value and constraints of data. Whether they go on to graduate school, return to the ranch, or venture into industry, students will use data to make decisions. An undergraduate research experience helps them understand how to value that data during decision-making.
“Participating in research has provided me with a real-life experience to decide if I want to continue with research in the future, along with seeing the benefits we can make on the industry,” said Dean Klahr, ASI junior from Holton, Kansas.
Two groups of students participated in the forum, members of the class who did research as a team, including animal science and food sciences classes, and individual participants. Twelve of the undergraduate research students will present their research at regional or national meetings.
A complete list of student participants, their projects and mentors is posted online at http://www.asi.k-state.edu/news/17_undergradresearch.htm
More information for students or potential sponsors is available by contacting Cassie Jones, the program’s coordinator at 785-532-5289 or [email protected].
